Presidents Love Roundups

From VDay Eve through Presidents Day, I was on a bit of a vacation. Trusted Phandroid staffer Spencer Gardner picked up some slack but a few tidbits still slipped through the cracks that we wanted to catch everyone up on. So stop your gasping at how I could abandon the phandroid for the first days of MWC and understand that the Roundup asked me to be its Valentine and I agreed.

Kneel while I dub you Sir I-Might-Have-Missed-This-And-If-Not-Oh-Well:

Microsoft Opening Retail Stores
Apple has retail stores and they kick butt. Microsoft has Windows Mobile which is branded incredibly poorly considering the overwhelming success abundance of Windows Vista. Apple’s strategy makes sense since one of the biggest hurdles for consumers buying Apple products is learning a new system. Will Microsoft focus on computers? Mobile? Obviously they’ll do both but it’ll be interesting to see how they compare to Apple stores. You won’t see Android retail stores running around any time soon but Phandroid has your back… we’ve got a little “in store” for you pretty soon so keep your eyes peeled. [Via CrunchGear]

Google Releases “My Tracks” Android App
At first it sounds like something musically based but My Tracks is actually a new Google Maps feature that allows users to record their routes when cycling, running, hiking, etc… take a look at the demo video and visit the Google Mobile Blog for details.

Android Dev Bootcamp – Big Nerd Ranch
If you want to develop for Android, need a kick in the pants and have some money to drop then the Big Nerd Ranch is having an Android Bootcamp from March 16th to March 20th in Atlanta that you might be interested in. By money to drop we mean $3,500 which seems like it’ll hurt your wallet a lot more than stubbing your toe, but with paid apps allowed on the market now there isn’t any reason you couldn’t earn that back in a jiffy. Just please don’t sell as total garbage for $199.99, okay? [Via IntoMobile]

Huawei Launching 2-3 Androids This Year
Although Android has had a somewhat quiet MWC so far, a Reuters article claims that Huawei officials said it will introduce 2-3 Android Phones this year. The quote came from Edward Chen, Head of Device Unit, who also speculates on Huawei’s growth in 2009: “Chen said Huawei — which sells phones to telecom operators who sell them under their own brands — aimed to sell 40-45 million phones in 2009, compared with 33 million last year.” Hopefully Android will account for a big portion of that growth and it very well could. Details on Androids were missing so who knows… they might not even be planning a launch until later in 2009 but we’ll hope for sooner. You should too.

Huawei Releases “Android Concept” Photos?
Apparently Huawei as “taken the wraps” off its Android handset which should hit the market Q3 and while RegHardware admits they look more like iPhone imitation mockups (which isn’t a terrible thing) they don’t provide a source for the photos. So… real or fake? What’s the deal here?

Android HD by ZiiLABS

Claiming it is the “Ideal Android Platform” here is a snippet from the company’s Android Section: ““Android provides an excellent platform for enabling next-generation OEM devices based on our ZMS processors and platforms,” said Tim Lewis, director of marketing, ZiiLABS. “Last month at the Consumer Electronics Show we launched the ZMS-05 based upon our StemCell Computing architecture. We are now expanding support beyond our existing SDK to anyone who wishes to leverage the Android platform.” The Company expects to release its Android platform to OEM partners during the summer of 2009.

LG Confirms A Couple Androids in 2009
Apparently the most exciting part of LG’s MWC Press Conference was the fact that they admitted they had Android phones coming this year. IntoMobile used the words “a couple” and suggested they could announce them at CTIA next month. It is Android so it is exciting to us but seriously, when the most exciting part of your press conference is saying that you have something you’ll probably announce at a future press conference it seems a bit yawntastic. Bring the Droids!

LG Coughs Up Truth: LG KS360 In Summer
Tricked You! LG DID have a boring press conference but later admitted that last year’s LG KS360 will keep all its hardware specs but run the Android OS and launch this summer. LG Marketing Manager, Jeremy Newing, said LG would launch 2 more Android Phones in 2009 following the LG KS360 in the summer. That’s a total of 3. We’re totally pleased. Check out the specs of the original LG KS360. [Via T3]

HTC Magic for Vodafone
Remember the device you’ve been calling the T-Mobile G2 or HTC G2? Yeah well, call it neither. T-Mobile won’t get it – only Vodafone will. And it won’t be called the HTC G2 since that name is reserved by T-Mobile, it is called the HTC Magic. At least that’s what HTC calls it – Vodafone could rename it once it lands on their line and its said to be an exclusive deal so if you’re not European than I hope Eurolookin’ elswewhere. [Via BGR]